PAHANG MACC ARRESTS FIVE OVER ILLEGAL MUSANG KING ORCHARDS

KUANTAN, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- The Pahang Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested five men, comprising Musang King orchard operators and durian factory workers, for allegedly earning hundreds of thousands of ringgit by cultivating the fruit illegally in forest reserves and on state land in a district in Pahang.

According to a source, the suspects, aged between 40 and 60, were detained between 12 noon and 3 pm yesterday when they appeared at the MACC Raub branch to give their statements.

They are believed to have been involved in money laundering through the cultivation of durian trees, including acquiring, receiving, transferring and using proceeds from the activity.

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“Initial investigations indicate the suspects carried out these activities separately between 2024 and this year, generating profits of up to several hundred thousand ringgit.

Four of them are orchard operators believed to have been involved for generations and had refused to join the legalisation programme offered,” the source said.

All suspects have been remanded for four days until Oct 3 following an order by Magistrate Mohd Fauzan Mohd Suhairi at the Magistrate’s Court here.

Pahang MACC director Mohd Shukor Mahmud when contacted, confirmed the arrests, adding that the the case is being investigated under Section 41(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA).

He did not rule out the possibility of further arrests.

As part of the state government’s Ops Sekat launched on April 25, Pahang MACC and the Pahang State Enforcement Unit (UPNP) conducted joint operations from Sept 2 to 19, identifying 33 illegal durian orchards on state land and in forest reserves.

-- BERNAMA